Sisters
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Based on a prompt from EvilQueensDaughterRapunzel (I've put it at the bottom due to its length. AU wherein Cora keeps Zelena and raises her with Henry. They have Regina and this story looks at their relationship as sisters over the years.


_Based on a prompt from EvilQueensDaughterRapunzel (I've put it at the bottom due to its length. AU wherein Cora keeps Zelena and raises her with Henry. They have Regina and this story looks at their relationship as sisters over the years. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you all enjoy :) _

_*Cora has her heart in this story_

* * *

Cora smiles at her daughter as she takes Zelena's hands in her own. Looking at the adorable toddler now it's hard to believe she ever considered giving her up. She loves her so much and in the end she met Henry who wanted to marry her anyway. There have been tests along the way, Rumple was one but in the end she chose her husband over darkness and power, but she's glad she married him. He's been a wonderful father to Zelena and an incredible husband to her. This morning she found out their family is growing and she can't wait to share the news.

Henry already knows of course because she simply couldn't wait to tell him. Now they're both in Zelena's playroom to tell their daughter. Cora hopes she'll be happy. She really does. She knows her daughter has had issues with sharing and might be a bit worried about no longer being an only child but above all Cora hopes she'll be happy because she wants them to be sisters. She has dreams of two girls playing with one another and supporting each other and gods she hopes they come true.

"Mama?" the four year old asks looking at her curiously.

"Sorry baby, Mama was just thinking," Cora says with a smile, "Now Daddy and I have something really important to tell you."

Zelena looks to Henry with wide curious eyes, "You do?"

"We do munchkin," he replies using his nickname for the girl.

She grins, "What is it?"

Cora shares a mischievous look with her husband, "What do you think? Should we tell her?"

"Hm it is a big responsibility," he says playing along.

"Tell me!" Zelena cries jumping up and down, "I a big girl. I can take the 'sponsability."

Cora chuckles ruffling red curls, "Okay. Are you ready?"

"Yep."

"Are you sure?" Henry asks.

"Yes."

"Really, really sure?" Cora asks.

"Mama!"

"Okay sweetheart, you're going to be a big sister."

Zelena's eyes widen even further and she grins, "I am?"

Henry and Cora nod and the little girl squeals excitedly before hugging both her parents. She sits on Henry's lap before placing her hand on her mother's tummy, "I'm gonna be a big sister," she says proudly with a smile.

* * *

A five year old Zelena swings her father's hand as they make their way into the castle. She's wearing her prettiest dress and in her hand is one of her stuffed bears to give to her new baby sister. Her Mama was in her room yesterday and Zelena wasn't allowed to see her. She was upset until her Daddy explained that Mama was busy having her sister.

Since then she's been practically bursting with excitement. She doesn't know exactly what being a big sister will be like but she hopes it will be fun. Her Mama and Daddy tell her she'll have to look out for her baby sister and she's glad to do it.

"Are you ready?" Henry asks looking down at his daughter. She nods eagerly and so he leads her into the chambers. He smiles brightly at his wife and newborn daughter. "Ready for visitors?" he asks. Cora nods gesturing for them to come over. They share a loving kiss before Cora ducks her head to kiss Zelena's forehead and ruffle her curls.

"Zelena I have someone who's here to meet you."

Zelena grins clambering onto the bed, "You do?"

Cora smiles before turning the bundle in her arms so Zelena can see. The baby is tiny, smaller than Zelena imagined. She stares for a few moments and the baby opens her eyes, yawns and flaps her hand in Zelena's direction. Zelena grins, "She waved at me!"

Cora chuckles, "Greeting her big sister."

Zelena smiles proudly before placing the teddy next to her little sister. "What's her name?"

"Regina," Cora says.

"'Gina," Zelena repeats unable to say the "Re" part. She moves to hook her pinky around Regina's but ends up with the baby's hand wrapped tightly around her finger. She smiles, "Hi Regina. I'm Zelena and I'm your big sister. No matter what we will always be sisters," she promises.

* * *

"I want 'Lena!" five year old Regina says stomping her feet and pouting at her mother. Cora sighs rubbing her forehead tiredly. All she wants to do is get her daughter into her pyjamas but even that is a fight with the headstrong child. Ever since Regina reached an age when she could play with Zelena the pair have been inseparable.

Cora's glad because this is what she wanted for them but sometimes it's a bit of a pain.

"Regina," Cora says, "Let me just put you in your pyjamas and then you can go find Zelena."

"I want 'Lena to do it," Regina huffs.

Cora sighs as her daughter continues to strop in front of her. Zelena has always helped her out, from the moment Regina was born, Zelena was eager to be a big sister, helping change her, feed her bathe her. Regina's first word was 'Lena as well. Part of her knows she probably shouldn't indulge Regina's tantrum.

On the other hand she wants them both changed and in bed already. "Fine," she concedes picking up a squirming Regina and carrying her through to Zelena's room. Her ten year old looks up with a knowing grin, "She wants me?"

Cora nods setting Regina down who runs over to her big sister immediately giving her a big bear hug. Cora smiles as she watches her daughters before leaving them to it.

* * *

"Regina!" thirteen year old Zelena cries out stomping her foot and chasing after her, their footsteps thundering through the halls. She can hear the eight year old running down to the living room and frowns. She skids in after her grabbing Regina's arm.

"Zelena!" Cora and Henry cry out.

"What?" she snaps.

"Don't grab your sister like that?"

"She broke my teddy!" Zelena shouts. She's had that bear since she was a baby and her sister just ripped it. She's furious, probably more furious than she's ever been with her little sister. Part of her knows it was an accident but at the minute she's too angry to remember that.

"It was just a teddy," Regina replies with a sniffle. She hates upsetting her sister and having her elder sister mad at her always makes her cry. "I didn't mean it," she adds.

"You still broke it!" Zelena yells.

"Zelena calm down," Cora says moving over to break the pair up. Regina cowers away and stands in front of her father who hugs her protectively. "It was just an accident," Cora says to placate her. Zelena frowns feeling the jealousy bubble up inside of her.

"You always side with her," she spits bitterly before gasping as green covers her hands. This has only happened once or twice but each time she does it infuriates her. It's like she's never allowed to be jealous because everyone can see it. She can never hide anything. She hears a frightened cry and sees her sister staring at her with fear and she hates it.

She frowns before running off. As a big sister she always wants to protect Regina even if it's from herself.

* * *

Zelena sighs as she wanders round the grounds, her breath escaping into the cool air. She's twenty-one and still at the castle which is fine by her but she does still have dreams of falling in love and having a family of her own in her own castle. At least she still has her sister to confide in. She wanders through to the stables hoping to find her, Regina's always in the stables these days.

She gasps when she walks in and sees the sixteen year old kissing the stable boy Daniel. Zelena hurriedly slips out of the stables before they see her as she runs back to the castle. Running through her mind right now are all kinds of emotions, jealousy over the fact that Regina can find someone so easily when she cannot, annoyance and a twinge of sadness over Regina not confiding in her and fear of losing her sister.

Zelena knows that sooner or later Regina will leave too and she wants her sister to be happy but right now she's scared, jealous, annoyed and heading straight to her mother. "Mother!" she cries out finding Cora in the main hall before telling her anything. She knows Regina would never defy their mother's wants and wishes and before she knows it Cora is walking out to the stables and grabbing Regina.

Zelena winces as she hears their mother yelling at Regina about lies and secrets. She knows their mother is angry for the same reason she is – not that Regina is out there kissing stable boys but for the fact that she didn't tell them. It's petty and as soon as she hears their mother banishing Regina to her room she regrets ratting her out.

She waits for their mother to head back to the main hall before slipping into Regina's room.

"Go away," a small voice says and she sees Regina curled up on her bed crying into her pillow. Her frown deepens and guilt wallows in her heart. She sits down next to Regina, "I'm sorry Regina."

Regina sits up, her voice laced with accusation, "You told her."

Zelena frowns admitting, "I did."

"Get out," Regina says darkly, "What if she never lets me see him again? Zelena, I love him and you ruined it!"

* * *

It doesn't take Zelena long to find her mother. She needs to make this right. She acted out of petty jealousy and fear and she needs to fix it. _I'm her big sister _she thinks, being Regina's big sister means supporting her happiness not taking it away. She knocks on the door to her mother's study before walking in, "Mom can we talk?"

"Of course sweetheart," Cora says with a smile setting down her book. She frowns seeing the tears dotting Zelena's cheeks, "What's wrong?"

"Are you going to ban Regina from seeing Daniel?"

"Zelena –"

"You can't mother. Please! She really loves him Mama and he makes her happy. I told you because I was jealous she'd found someone and annoyed she hadn't told me. You can't punish her because I was being petty. Mom, please I'm her big sister and I need to make this right."

Cora rounds the table before cupping her daughter's cheeks softly, "Zelena listen to me. I'm not going to stop her from seeing Daniel. She falls in love with whoever she falls in love with and you're right we shall support that because we love her too. I'm not mad at her for falling in love sweetheart, I'm mad because she lied and didn't tell us. I'm her mother and like you it's weird for me that first moment when you girls don't want to talk to me. It's part of growing up and one day I will have to let you two go to find your own lives but at the same time I don't want to lose you."

"You won't Mama, we're always going to need you around."

"Just like Regina will always need you sweetheart, now go on and talk to your sister."

* * *

Zelena slips into her sister's room once more. The sixteen year old glares at her, "I told you to leave me alone," she says with a huff. Zelena ignores her before sitting on the edge of her bed, "I'm sorry."

"So you said."

"Regina," Zelena says before moving to tilt up her sister's head. She sees tears rolling down Regina's cheeks and frown quickly wiping them away, "Regina I spoke to Mom."

"Haven't you told her enough?"

"I told her you're happy and that you love him."

"I do," Regina says with a soft smile.

"I'm sorry I told her. I was just mad because you didn't tell me. You used to share everything with me and yet you didn't tell me when you fell in love. It's why Mom's mad at you as well but we still love you and she's not going to stop you from seeing him."

"She isn't?"

Zelena shakes her head, "No. We love you Regina which means supporting you no matter what."

Regina smiles at her, "I'm still mad at you for telling."

"I'm still mad at you for not telling," Zelena counters before offering out her pinky, "Sisters?"

Regina threads her pinky through Zelena's, "No matter what."

* * *

_The prompt was :_

_Can you do one where Cora keeps Zelena and raises her together with Henry. When Regina is still young and Zelena is a preteen they have a big fight and their parents are on Regina's side so Zelena turns green and little Regina gets scared. Later when Regina is 16 Zelena sees her together with Daniel and tells her mother because she knows how shy and scared Regina is around her mother. Cora is not happy at all and punishes Regina by locking her in her room Zelena regrets telling her but tries to fix it later by explaining to her how happy Regina is with the stable boy. AU cute fluff and sisterly love – EvilQueensDaughterRapunzel_

_Thanks for reading :) _


End file.
